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Amber Fort on its ridge

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City guide · जयपुर Jaipur

Jaipur

The 'Pink City': a planned city of the Rajput princes

Photo: Jakub Hałun · CC BY-SA 4.0

Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, and the buildings of its old city are all painted pink. Amber Fort on the ridge outside town, and the Hawa Mahal and City Palace in the centre, are the legacy of the Rajput princes. With Delhi and Agra it forms the 'Golden Triangle' of travel in India.

History

How the city came to be

On 18 November 1727 Sawai Jai Singh II of the Kachhwaha dynasty founded Jaipur, named after himself. With the population of the old capital, Amber (11 km away), growing and water running short, he decided to move the capital, and asked Vidyadhar Bhattacharya to plan what became one of India's first planned cities. The Hawa Mahal, completed in 1799, has 953 small windows that let the women of the court watch the street without being seen. On 6 July 2019 Jaipur was inscribed on the World Heritage List as a city.

  1. 16th centuryAmber Fort was begun, the old capital of the Kachhwaha dynasty
  2. 1727Jai Singh II founded Jaipur
  3. 1799The Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) was completed
  4. 2019Inscribed as a World Heritage Site

Must see

Places you shouldn’t miss

Amber Fort on its ridge

Classic landmarkJaipur, Rajasthan, India

Amber Fort and Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

A royal anthem in the Pink City, the pinnacle of Rajput palace architecture.

Before you go

Rules to know in Jaipur

All etiquette & taboos →

Red lineEveryday mannersIndia

India: some states ban alcohol completely

  • Before visiting Bihar, Gujarat, Mizoram, Nagaland or Lakshadweep, learn the alcohol rules
  • Drinking or carrying alcohol in a dry area
  • Drinking in parks and other public places

Drinking or possessing alcohol in a dry state can lead to arrest without bail and 5 to 10 years in prison.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: India travel advice

Red lineEntryIndia

India: e-cigarettes are banned

  • Leave your e-cigarette at home
  • Bringing an e-cigarette into India or buying one there

E-cigarettes and related products are banned in India.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: India travel advice

Red lineEntryIndia

India: no satellite phones or GPS devices without a permit

  • Before you leave, check whether your equipment needs a permit
  • Carrying a satellite phone or satellite navigation device without a permit (even in transit)

Illegal; you can be fined or arrested and the device confiscated. British tourists have been arrested for this.

Verified Oct 19, 2026Source: GOV.UK: India travel advice

Sources